Pointe shoe for practicing classical dance

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a shoe adapted for the practice of classical dance and particularly intended for dancers in dancing schools or professional dancers for performing pointes, that comprises a sole generally made of leather to which is attached a fitting upper ( 2 ), particularly made of satin, as well as a tip made of a hard shell or box ( 4 ) that surrounds the toes and has an extension in the form of a stiffening shank ( 5 ) at the lower portion of the foot, characterised in that the shank ( 5 ) is formed on the lower surface thereof with at least two transverse cuts ( 7 ) approximately at mid-depth for ensuring its rigidity in one direction and for imparting to the shoe a certain degree of flexibility in the opposite direction.

The present invention relates to a shoe adapted for the practice of classical dance and particularly intended for dancers in dancing schools or professional dancers for performing pointes.

Classical dance steps on pointes are very graceful for spectators, but can only be performed following extremely restricting and particularly painful training causing deformation to the front of the foot such as the “dancer's bunion” and can sometimes even lead to osteoligamentary or musculotendinous pathologies.

In fact, when performing pointes, all the ground-borne load, which may be very high, is absorbed by the front of the foot (particularly the toes) of the dancer, who must not lean forwards, backwards or sideways, which requires very firm support in the region of the phalanges.

Ballet dancers are therefore very demanding as to the quality of their shoes which are their working tool and for generations have been accustomed themselves to adapting them to shape them to their morphology, in order to reduce the pain induced or at least the discomfort experienced when practising their art, without compromising the quality of foot support or their safety.

Traditionally, the shoes used by ballet dancers basically comprise a sole, generally made of leather to which a flexible upper is attached, in particular made of satin, as well as a tip consisting of a hard shell or box surrounding the toes and extending via a stiffening shank at the lower portion of the foot to beneath the arch of the foot.

It should be noted that in this description, the terms lower, upper, front, rear etc. refer to a shoe worn by a dancer who is standing upright and with the feet flat.

Conventional classical dance shoes have a number of drawbacks including the difficulty experienced when walking or changing from pointe to demi-pointe due to the particularly hard nature of the shanks which prevents dancers from rolling through their feet normally.

An object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback.

The present invention therefore relates to a shoe of the above-mentioned type suitable for practising classical dance characterised in that the shank is provided on its lower face, in other words on the side nearest the ground, with at least two transverse cuts, to a depth of about half its thickness; this type of cut is usually situated in the region of the padded areas of the sole of the foot and is normally closed when the foot is flat or en pointe and opens when the foot rolls to walk or run. The shank is usually pierced by small, evenly spaced holes to allow perspiration to pass through.

The cuts guarantee the rigidity of the shank in one direction, but give the shoe a degree of flexibility in the other direction in that they have the characteristic of opening when the dancer rolls through her feet as she walks and closing when she moves her feet to the flat and en pointe positions.

The shoe according to the invention thus has the advantage of providing a degree of flexibility when walking or when the dancer descends from pointe to demi-pointe, a flexibility which traditional pointes do not have.

However, this flexibility does not cause any difficulty when the dancer rises en pointe in that the cuts automatically close in these circumstances to allow the shank to regain its full rigidity and resist the bending of the foot.

The shape of the shank, its piercing and length, and the position and number of grooves on the dance shoe according to the invention are of course adapted to the morphology of the dancer for whom the shoe is intended.

According to another characteristic of the dance shoe according to the invention, the shank is made of a resin such as polyacetal, polyamide, polypropylene, polyimide, etc. reinforced if necessary with synthetic or natural fibres (flax, hemp, Kevlar, etc.).

Indeed, these materials are found to be preferable to the fibres generally used in composite materials (carbon or glass fibre) which, in the event of breakage, have the drawback of risking injury to the dancer.

According to a particularly advantageous characteristic of the dance shoe according to the invention, the lower portion of the box and the shank consist of two parts which can be separated, and preferably clipped together, both possibly being made of a synthetic material.

The dancer can therefore easily separate the box and shank of her shoes and thus select, adjust or replace them depending on her morphology, in particular her shoe size, the pressure points, the arch of her foot or her strength.

The shank of the dance shoe according to the invention may also be glued in order to positively connect it to the box and may be made of a traditional material (a composite of natural fibres bonded by adhesives).

According to another characteristic of the dance shoe according to the invention, the inner portion of the box is lined, in the region of the toes of the dancer when in the en pointe position, with an elastomer material, an open-pored foam or sphagnum to absorb impact, and to collect perspiration and allow it to pass through.

It should be noted that the box of a classical dance shoe does not have a uniform stiffness over its entire surface; in fact it is particularly hard at its front end, in the region of the platform, in other words the surface in contact with the ground when the dancer is en pointe, whereas it becomes thinner and more flexible in the region of the lateral edges or wings and the upper portion of the vamp where the flexibility of the toe zone must be respected.

Consequently, the density or nature of the material of the inner portion of the box should preferably vary to respect these constraints.

This material should in particular be very resistant to pressure in the region of the platform so as not to interfere with the balance of the dancer and allow her to feel the points of pressure.

Providing the inner portion of the box of the dance shoe according to the invention with wads made of a viscoelastic material may also be considered in order to spread the pressure in zones where the pressure points are greater and tend to produce skin irritation which causes corns or blisters.

However, it is essential that these wads, placed in the painful places, do not impede the elimination of perspiration. They should for example be microperforated if materials made of open-pored foams are not chosen.

The box may also advantageously be microperforated.

It should also be noted that when the “skeleton” of the box of the dance shoe according to the invention is made of a synthetic material, it is preferably covered and reinforced with satin lined with a resilient fabric then glued to this structure so as to obtain a pleasing aesthetic appearance and avoid folds in the satin.

In this case, the box is made of a resin with a softening point of less than 100° C. and if possible of 40° C.

Because of the presence of the “skeleton” made of a synthetic material with a low softening point, the dancer can adapt the box of her shoes perfectly to her morphology, precisely moulding it to the shape of her feet by warming it in an oven, with a hair dryer or in a microwave.

Another drawback of traditional dance shoes concerns the noise made when they strike a surface such as a stage which may be very annoying during performances.

These noises are caused more particularly by the box knocking on the floor when the dancers run (with their feet flat), but also when leaping on pointes.

Another object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback.

Therefore, and according to another characteristic of the dance shoe according to the invention, the outer portion of the box is covered by an anti-noise pad, notably in the space between the leather sole and the underside of the platform (the portion where the folds are located). This pad is made of elastomer or foam; a pad of this type, which is inserted between the box and the material covering the shoe (satin, leather, synthetic, etc.) to a great extent reduces the noise made by the box striking the wooden floor on which the dancers are performing.

Another drawback of traditional dance shoes concerns the risk of injury to the tendons in the region of the heel, caused by the presence of a lace at the rear portion of the upper, contained within a casing.

Another object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback.

Therefore, and according to another characteristic of the dance shoe according to the invention, the rear portion of the upper, in the region of the heel of the dancer, is provided with a preformed band which spreads the stress over a wider portion of the heel.

A band of this type, which must be very strong and non-resilient, is usually specially woven and comprises very strong and non-resilient fibres, such as Kevlar.

The lace traditionally present inside the border of the upper in the region of the heel, which presses very hard on the rear portion of the heel and may cause tendonitis, may therefore be dispensed with and replaced by the band which is wide enough for any lesions to affect only the least stressed zones.

According to the invention, to avoid the risk of slipping, particularly where perspiration is present when the dancer rises en pointe, sewing a covering made of a material with a coefficient of friction that remains unchanged on contact with water to the outer portion of the platform may also be envisaged; the dancer may therefore turn on the spot, not on the satin, but on this material, thus avoiding slips.

The characteristics of the dance shoe according to the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying non-limiting drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view from below of a dance shoe according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a section of FIG. 1 along the axis II II,

FIG. 3 is a view from below of the tip (box and shank assembled) of a dance shoe according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a section of the tip illustrated in FIG. 3 along the axis IV IV.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dance shoe according to the invention consists basically of a sole 1 and an upper 2 together with a tip 3 (box and shank assembled) which is illustrated more precisely in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The sole 1 is made of leather of greater or lesser thickness.

The upper 2 is made of a flexible material such as satin, leather or Alcantara; it covers the front of the foot of the dancer and extends on either side of the instep until it passes round the heel.

The front of the upper 2 is stiffened by the tip 3 which is made of a synthetic material.

According to FIGS. 3 and 4, the tip 3 consists of two separate parts clipped together, specifically a box 4 which encases the toes of the dancer and a stiffening shank 5 extending said box; the shank 5 is situated at the lower portion of the foot of the dancer above the sole 1 (FIG. 2).

According to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the shank 5 is provided at its front end with elastically deformable hooks 6 engaging in corresponding recesses of the box 4, to allow said shank to be locked onto the box 4.

According to FIG. 4, the shank 5 is provided on its lower face with two transverse cuts at about mid-depth 7 which ensure its rigidity in one direction but give it a degree of flexibility in the other direction to make it easier for the dancer to walk.

According to FIGS. 2 and 4, the lower portion of the box 4 is covered, in the region of the toes of the dancer in the en pointe position, with an open-pored foam 8 or an elastomer perforated with small holes covered with fabric to allow perspiration to pass through.

The outer portion of the box is covered with an anti-noise pad 9.

According to FIG. 1, the rear portion of the upper 2 is provided with a preformed band 10 the function of which is to avoid the risk of lesions in the region of the heel of the dancer. 

1.-7. (canceled)
 8. Dance shoe for the practice of classical dance and for performing pointes, comprising a sole generally made of leather to which is attached a flexible upper as well as a hard shell that surrounds the toes and a shank that extends beneath the arch of the foot of a wearer along the sole of the foot, the shank extending from the shell and being integral therewith so as to define a stiffening assembly, the shank being provided on its lower face in the region of the pads on the soles of the feet with at least two transverse cuts designed to open when a dancer rolls through her feet as she walks and to close when she moves her feet to the flat or en pointe positions.
 9. Shoe according to claim 8, characterised in that the stiffening assembly is pierced with small, evenly spaced holes to allow perspiration to pass through.
 10. Shoe according to claim 8, characterized in that the flexible upper is made of satin.
 11. Shoe according to claim 8, wherein the shank is made of a synthetic resin.
 12. Shoe according to claim 11, characterised in that the synthetic resin is one of a polyacetal, polyamide, polypropylene or polyimide material.
 13. Shoe according to claim 12, wherein the synthetic resin is reinforced by one of a synthetic fibre or a natural fibre.
 14. Shoe according to claim 8, characterised in that the shank is separate fro the shell can be clipped to it.
 15. Shoe according to claim 8, characterised in that the inner portion of the shell is lined, in the region of the toes of the dancer, by one of an elastomeric material, open-pored foam, or sphagnum for allowing perspiration to pass through.
 16. Shoe according to claim 8, characterised in that the outer portion of the shell is covered by an anti-noise pad beneath the shell and in the region of the shoe surface in contact with the ground when the dancer is en pointe.
 17. Shoe according to claim 8, characterised in that the rear portion of the flexible upper is provided, in the region of the heel of the dancer, with a pre-formed, non-extendible band. 